What to Sow in July in the UK (Veg, Salads and Flowers)

There is a strange myth that July is too late to sow anything, that the growing year is somehow over once the longest day has passed. It is completely wrong, and believing it means missing out on some of the best crops of the whole year. July is one of my busiest sowing months in Oxfordshire, because what you put in now crops through autumn and, with a bit of cover, right into winter, long after everyone else’s gardens have gone over.

The trick is knowing what actually works this late. You are not sowing tomatoes or sweetcorn now, that ship has sailed. But fast salads, autumn and winter veg, quick catch crops, and a surprising number of flowers all go in happily in July. This guide is my honest list of what to sow this month, what to skip, and how to give July sowings the best start in the heat of high summer.

Why July Is a Genuinely Good Month to Sow

July sowing is all about the second half of the year. The crops you sow now mature in September, October and beyond, filling the gap when your summer crops are finishing and the garden would otherwise be winding down. This is how experienced gardeners keep harvesting fresh food well into autumn and winter, while beginners often find their plots bare by September.

There is also the matter of warm soil. In July the ground is at its warmest of the entire year, which means seeds germinate fast, often in a few days rather than the weeks they take in spring. The one thing to watch is moisture, because warm dry soil and hot sun can dry seedlings out quickly, but that is easily managed. UK vegetable planting calendar sets July in the context of the whole year, and what to do in the garden each month covers the wider jobs.

Salad Crops to Sow in July

Rows of young salad leaves growing in a UK garden bed in summer — Lettuce, rocket and oriental leaves sown in July give fresh salads right through autumn.

Salads are the easiest July sowings and the quickest to reward you. Sown now, most are ready to pick in four to eight weeks, giving you fresh leaves through late summer and autumn when bought salad is at its most expensive and least fresh.

Lettuce. Sow little and often. Loose-leaf and cut-and-come-again types are quickest. In hot weather, sow in light shade, as lettuce seed can go dormant in soil above about 25°C. How to grow lettuce in the UK covers the detail.
Rocket. Fast, peppery, and happiest in the cooler conditions coming up. Ready in as little as four weeks.
Spinach. July is a good time for autumn spinach, which bolts less than spring sowings as the days shorten. How to grow spinach in the UK has more.
Oriental leaves. Pak choi, mizuna, mustard and tatsoi all do brilliantly sown in mid to late summer for autumn picking.
Spring onions. Quick and reliable, ready in around eight weeks, and they take up almost no space.
Radishes. The fastest crop of all, ready in three to four weeks. Perfect for filling gaps and keeping children interested.

Autumn and Winter Vegetables to Sow in July

Young carrot and beetroot seedlings growing in a UK vegetable bed in summer — A July sowing of carrots and beetroot gives tender autumn roots when most plots are bare.

This is the serious July sowing, the crops that keep you in vegetables through the leaner months. Get these in now and you will be harvesting when most plots are bare. Most seed suppliers like Suttons have dedicated autumn and winter sowing ranges worth a look at this time of year.

Carrots. A July sowing gives tender autumn carrots, and crucially misses the worst of the carrot root fly’s first generation. Sow maincrop types now for autumn pulling. How to grow carrots in the UK covers the detail.
Beetroot. Still time for a final sowing of beetroot for autumn roots. How to grow beetroot in the UK has more.
French beans. A quick July sowing of dwarf French beans can still crop before the first frosts in most of the UK. How to grow French beans in the UK covers it.
Turnips. Fast autumn turnips sown now are ready in eight to ten weeks, tender and mild.
Kohlrabi. Quick, underrated, and happy from a July sowing.
Chinese cabbage and autumn brassicas. Sow now for autumn hearts. Growing brassicas in the UK covers the family.
Spring cabbage. Late July is the time to sow spring cabbage to overwinter as small plants and heart up next spring. Kale can also still go in for hardy winter pickings.

Herbs to Sow in July

Several herbs are perfectly happy sown in July, and some actually prefer it. The warm soil gets them going fast.

Coriander. July sowings in a bit of shade bolt less than high-summer ones in full sun. How to grow coriander in the UK covers the bolting problem in full.
Parsley. A July sowing gives you plants to crop through autumn and overwinter for next spring.
Dill and chervil. Both quick and happy sown now for late summer use.
Basil. Still worth sowing in a warm spot or under cover for a late crop, though it will not last past the first cold nights.

How to grow herbs in the UK covers the wider herb garden if you want to build a proper collection.

Flowers to Sow in July

July is not just for vegetables. It is a key month for sowing biennials, the flowers that you sow this year to bloom next, plus some hardy annuals and perennials for an early start.

Biennials for next year. Wallflowers, foxgloves, sweet williams, honesty and forget-me-nots are all sown in early to mid summer to flower the following spring and summer. July is prime time. The RHS guide to biennials has good detail on timing and varieties.
Hardy perennials. Many perennials sown now will make good plants by autumn, ready to flower next year. Lupins, delphiniums and aquilegia among them.
Pansies and violas. Sow now for autumn and winter bedding that flowers when little else does.
Hardy annuals. A few, like calendula and cornflowers, can be sown in July to overwinter as young plants for earlier, stronger flowering next year.

What NOT to Sow in July

Just as useful as knowing what to sow is knowing what to leave. Sowing these now is usually a waste of seed because they will not have time to mature before the cold and short days stop them.

Tomatoes, peppers, chillies, aubergines. Far too late. These need a long warm season and should have been sown in early spring.
Sweetcorn. No time to mature. Wait until next May.
Pumpkins and winter squash. Need the whole season. Too late now.
Maincrop peas. A quick early variety might just manage an autumn crop in the south, but it is a gamble. How to grow peas in the UK covers the timing.
Runner beans. Really should have gone in by June. How to grow runner beans in the UK explains why.

How to Give July Sowings the Best Start

Watering a newly sown seed drill in a UK garden during warm July weather — Water the bottom of the drill before sowing and keep seedlings moist in the summer warmth.

The one real challenge of July sowing is the heat. Warm soil germinates seeds fast, but it also dries out fast, and hot sun can scorch tender seedlings. A few simple habits make all the difference.

Water the bottom of the seed drill before sowing, not just the surface after, so the seeds sit on moist soil from the start. Sow a little deeper than you would in spring, where the soil holds moisture better. Sow heat-sensitive crops like lettuce in the late afternoon or in light shade, since some seeds refuse to germinate in soil that is too warm. And keep everything consistently watered while seedlings establish, ideally in the morning or evening rather than the midday heat. How often to water plants in the UK covers the principles.

If we are in the middle of a heatwave, give new sowings some temporary shade with fleece, netting or even a propped-up board, and water twice a day until they are up. Protecting garden plants during heatwaves covers the wider summer care. Slugs are still active in warm damp conditions too, so protect tender young seedlings with the methods in how to get rid of slugs in the garden.

Most of these crops can be sown direct into the ground or into pots and containers, whichever suits your space. Growing vegetables in pots in the UK covers the container approach, and how to grow vegetables from seed in the UK covers the sowing technique in full.

Filling Gaps as Summer Crops Finish

A freshly cleared gap in a UK vegetable bed being resown with quick catch crops in July — As early crops finish, get fast catch crops like radishes straight back into the gaps.

July is when the first gaps appear in the veg patch. Early potatoes come out, broad beans finish, the first lettuces bolt. Rather than leaving bare soil, which just grows weeds and dries out, get something straight back in. This idea of succession, always having the next crop ready to fill a gap, is what separates a productive plot from one that peaks in July and empties by September.

Fast catch crops like radishes, rocket, and cut-and-come-again salads are perfect gap-fillers, ready before the slower autumn crops need the space. Even a few weeks of bare soil can grow you a useful crop of salad leaves in the warmth of July and August. Easy vegetables to grow in the UK leans towards the quick, forgiving crops that suit this kind of gap-filling.

It is also a good moment to think ahead to next year. Strawberry beds planted in late summer establish well for a crop next June, and the biennial flowers sown now will reward you next spring. July gardening is as much about the future as the present.

Common Questions About Sowing in July

What can you sow in July in the UK?

July is a great month to sow salad crops (lettuce, rocket, spinach, oriental leaves, spring onions, radishes), autumn and winter vegetables (carrots, beetroot, dwarf French beans, turnips, kohlrabi, autumn brassicas, spring cabbage), herbs (coriander, parsley, dill), and flowers, especially biennials like wallflowers and foxgloves for next year. The warm soil germinates seed quickly.

Is July too late to sow vegetables?

Not at all. July is too late for long-season crops like tomatoes, sweetcorn and squash, but it is ideal for fast salads, quick catch crops, and autumn and winter vegetables that crop from September onwards. Sowing in July is how experienced gardeners keep harvesting well into autumn and winter rather than running out of crops by September.

What salads can I sow in July?

Lettuce (in light shade during hot spells), rocket, spinach, oriental leaves like pak choi and mizuna, spring onions, and radishes are all excellent July salad sowings. Most are ready to pick in four to eight weeks, giving fresh leaves through late summer and autumn. Sow little and often for a continuous supply.

What should you not sow in July?

Avoid sowing tomatoes, peppers, chillies, aubergines, sweetcorn, pumpkins and winter squash in July, as they need a long warm season and will not mature before the cold. Maincrop peas and runner beans are also really too late by July, though a quick early variety might just manage in the mildest areas.

How do I stop July sowings drying out?

Water the bottom of the seed drill before sowing so seeds sit on moist soil, sow a little deeper than in spring, and keep everything consistently watered while seedlings establish. Sow heat-sensitive crops like lettuce in the late afternoon or light shade, as some seed will not germinate in soil above about 25°C. In a heatwave, shade new sowings and water twice a day.

What flowers can I sow in July in the UK?

July is prime time for sowing biennials that flower next year: wallflowers, foxgloves, sweet williams, honesty and forget-me-nots. You can also sow many hardy perennials like lupins and delphiniums for plants by autumn, pansies and violas for winter bedding, and some hardy annuals like calendula to overwinter for earlier flowering next year.

Can I sow carrots in July?

Yes, July is a good time to sow maincrop carrots for tender autumn roots. A July sowing also misses the worst of the carrot root fly’s first generation, which can mean cleaner crops. Keep the soil consistently moist for good germination in the summer warmth, and protect with fine mesh if root fly is a problem in your garden.

A Sensible Place to Start

If July finds you with empty patches and you are not sure what to do, keep it simple. Sow a row of radishes and a row of rocket for something to pick within a month. Sow some lettuce and spring onions in a bit of shade for autumn salads. Get a final sowing of carrots and beetroot in for autumn roots. And if you have a spare corner, scatter some wallflower or foxglove seed for a wonderful display next spring.

That handful of July sowings will keep your plot productive long after midsummer, which is exactly the point. The gardeners who still have something to pick in October are the ones who kept sowing in July. After twenty years of it, I would not let a July go by without getting a few autumn crops in the ground.

For the wider seasonal picture, what to sow in May in the UK and what to plant in June in the UK cover the earlier months, June gardening jobs covers the wider summer work, and gardening for beginners in the UK covers the first-year basics if you are just starting out.